Lufthansa First Award seats availability [for partner FFPs outside of M&M]
Aug 5, 2012, 9:31 am
#166
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 514
Also with USDM?
Aug 5, 2012, 9:45 am
#167
Join Date: Feb 2005
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As far as LX, they seem to be even stingier now on many routes than LH, though I'd have a hard time believing they wouldn't open any award availability with it showing F8 a couple of days beforehand.
Aug 5, 2012, 9:51 am
#168
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: So Cal
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I believe yes. As an example, here's what NH shows for FRA-NRT for August 6-12 for example
[KVS Availability Tool 7.0.3/Diamond - SNT: Awards/StarAlliance-7D]
and MUC-NRT for August 6-12
[KVS Availability Tool 7.0.3/Diamond - SNT: Awards/StarAlliance-7D]
and August 13-19
[KVS Availability Tool 7.0.3/Diamond - SNT: Awards/StarAlliance-7D]
[KVS Availability Tool 7.0.3/Diamond - SNT: Awards/StarAlliance-7D]
Code:
FRA Frankfurt Metro / Intl DE = FRA HHN [EDDF] NRT Tokyo Narita JP [RJAA] MON 06 Aug 2012 (06 Aug 2012 - 12 Aug 2012) | 1 Seat Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Availability --------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------- LH 710 FRA 13:50 NRT 07:55 +1 388 0 FS- CS+ YS+ LH 710 FRA 13:50 +1 NRT 07:55 +2 *** * FS+ CS+ YS+ LH 710 FRA 13:50 +2 NRT 07:55 +3 *** * FS+ CS- YS+ LH 710 FRA 13:50 +3 NRT 07:55 +4 *** * FS+ CS+ YS+ LH 710 FRA 13:50 +4 NRT 07:55 +5 *** * FS+ CS+ YS- LH 710 FRA 13:50 +5 NRT 07:55 +6 *** * FS+ CS- YS- LH 710 FRA 13:50 +6 NRT 07:55 +7 *** * FS+ CS- YS+
[KVS Availability Tool 7.0.3/Diamond - SNT: Awards/StarAlliance-7D]
Code:
MUC Munich Franz Josef Strauss DE [EDDM] NRT Tokyo Narita JP [RJAA] MON 06 Aug 2012 (06 Aug 2012 - 12 Aug 2012) | 1 Seat Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Availability --------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------- LH 714 MUC 15:50 NRT 10:15 +1 346 0 FS+ CS+ YS+ LH 714 MUC 15:50 +1 NRT 10:15 +2 *** * FS+ CS+ YS- LH 714 MUC 15:50 +2 NRT 10:15 +3 *** * FS+ CS+ YS+ LH 714 MUC 15:50 +3 NRT 10:15 +4 *** * FS+ CS+ YS- LH 714 MUC 15:50 +4 NRT 10:15 +5 *** * FS+ CS+ YS- LH 714 MUC 15:50 +5 NRT 10:15 +6 *** * FS+ CS+ YS- LH 714 MUC 15:50 +6 NRT 10:15 +7 *** * FS+ CS+ YS-
[KVS Availability Tool 7.0.3/Diamond - SNT: Awards/StarAlliance-7D]
Code:
MUC Munich Franz Josef Strauss DE [EDDM] NRT Tokyo Narita JP [RJAA] MON 13 Aug 2012 (13 Aug 2012 - 19 Aug 2012) | 1 Seat Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Availability --------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------- LH 714 MUC 15:50 NRT 10:15 +1 346 0 FS+ CS+ YS- LH 714 MUC 15:50 +1 NRT 10:15 +2 *** * FS+ CS+ YS+ LH 714 MUC 15:50 +2 NRT 10:15 +3 *** * FS- CS+ YS+ LH 714 MUC 15:50 +3 NRT 10:15 +4 *** * FS- CS- YS- LH 714 MUC 15:50 +4 NRT 10:15 +5 *** * FS- CS+ YS+ LH 714 MUC 15:50 +5 NRT 10:15 +6 *** * FS- CS- YS- LH 714 MUC 15:50 +6 NRT 10:15 +7 *** * FS- CS- YS-
Aug 5, 2012, 10:50 am
#169
Senior Moderator, Moderator: Community Buzz and Ambassador: Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 150km from MAN
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I don't know. I've set up an automated search on Award Nexus so the award availaiblity info came from ANA.
But availability on KVS or ANA doesn't necessarily mean the award is available with USDM. 
Aug 5, 2012, 11:07 am
#170
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: So Cal
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Aug 5, 2012, 11:30 am
#171
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http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...l#post18201573
Aug 8, 2012, 4:26 am
#172
Join Date: Jan 2001
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Well, sometime around T-24-30 hours, LH open at least 2 F award seats for UA MP on LH 424 MUC-BOS, which was showing F7, so I booked them.
The LH phone reservations agent at LH in WAW said this flight (A340-600) is new first, but I am not sure how she knew or whether it really is?
LX is still showing Y9 C9 F8 for tomorrow but zero F award availability (plenty of C award inventory).
Go figure what's with LX's strategy, seeing that not one seat is taken/sold in F and we're within 24 hours of departure.
The LH phone reservations agent at LH in WAW said this flight (A340-600) is new first, but I am not sure how she knew or whether it really is?
LX is still showing Y9 C9 F8 for tomorrow but zero F award availability (plenty of C award inventory).
Go figure what's with LX's strategy, seeing that not one seat is taken/sold in F and we're within 24 hours of departure.
Last edited by nologic; Aug 8, 2012 at 5:44 am
Sep 8, 2012, 11:36 pm
#173
Join Date: Sep 2011
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).
Sep 10, 2012, 11:12 pm
#174
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: LAS
Posts: 174
Just grabbed an F seat on the A380 tomorrow IAH-FRA using UA miles; had been booked on the 744 out of LAX previously. I was searching for last minute availability on the 748i out of IAD (which, incidentally, opened up, but is being operated by a 744 tomorrow), and in the middle of trying a few different things, it popped up.
Looking forward to giving it a shot!
Looking forward to giving it a shot!
Sep 20, 2012, 11:09 am
#175
Join Date: Jan 2011
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I have a question with the phantom inventory.
I already have J seat booked on LH flight that connect with many other flights. I called and the agent can't see the F seat. While I was trying to test online but did not click "purchase" since I scare that it would be double booked. From others'experience, the error msg showed after you click purchase right?
I already have J seat booked on LH flight that connect with many other flights. I called and the agent can't see the F seat. While I was trying to test online but did not click "purchase" since I scare that it would be double booked. From others'experience, the error msg showed after you click purchase right?
Sep 20, 2012, 11:31 am
#176
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I am not surprised as US doesn't offer international First Class on its own metal. Delta (who also doesn't have international First) doesn't allow First class booking on its ST partner airlines. US miles are going the route of Delta's skypesos as all the bonus miles on US miles "cheapen" their FF miles.
Sep 20, 2012, 12:12 pm
#177
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: SEA, JFK, BKK
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Its basically United asking LH to free up a seat so United could book it. So if you see phantom inventory (or even a flight that doesn't show availability), you ask the UA agent to do a "long sell request". A well trained (and more importantly) willing rep will take the 30-60 seconds to do it. They usually hear back real-time from LH and can tell you if LH freed up a seat.
This is definitely a "YMMV" experience and you may need to call back a couple of times or more to find a willing agent (or one that knows how to do it). I've had the best luck with the reps in UA's Hawaii call center. They seem to have their act together out there!
Its worked for both C and F seats for me this year.
This is definitely a "YMMV" experience and you may need to call back a couple of times or more to find a willing agent (or one that knows how to do it). I've had the best luck with the reps in UA's Hawaii call center. They seem to have their act together out there!
Its worked for both C and F seats for me this year.
Sep 20, 2012, 12:21 pm
#178
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Posts: 1,343
A long sell will only successfully return a seat that the operating airline had already decided to make available, but the computer system of the agent can't see it or won't pull it up. Nothing more.
The long sell will fail until Lufthansa makes the space available, but at that point, 99% of the time the United system sees it anyways, and will proceed happily to ticketing without a phone call.
The ONLY time this will make a difference for you is if ANA shows F space, but UA doesn't. Then you can request a long sell, or direct sell, same thing.
Sep 20, 2012, 12:36 pm
#179
Join Date: Jan 2011
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What LufthansaFlyer said is not correct, unfortunately. A Long Sell is not a request to open up space. That can only be done by a USDM agent picking up a phone and calling a contact at Lufthansa Revenue Management, and that only happens in EXTRAORDINARILY rare circumstances.
A long sell will only successfully return a seat that the operating airline had already decided to make available, but the computer system of the agent can't see it or won't pull it up. Nothing more.
The long sell will fail until Lufthansa makes the space available, but at that point, 99% of the time the United system sees it anyways, and will proceed happily to ticketing without a phone call.
The ONLY time this will make a difference for you is if ANA shows F space, but UA doesn't. Then you can request a long sell, or direct sell, same thing.
A long sell will only successfully return a seat that the operating airline had already decided to make available, but the computer system of the agent can't see it or won't pull it up. Nothing more.
The long sell will fail until Lufthansa makes the space available, but at that point, 99% of the time the United system sees it anyways, and will proceed happily to ticketing without a phone call.
The ONLY time this will make a difference for you is if ANA shows F space, but UA doesn't. Then you can request a long sell, or direct sell, same thing.
Nov 19, 2012, 9:38 am
#180
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Does LH open 748i seats to partners?
I am currently booked in J on an FRA-IAD-JFK flight (going out of my way through IAD to fly the 748i) as part of a larger F award. Is LH treating the 748i like their other flights and only opening F up close in, or is there no chance they will open an F seat on this route?